Wire rack

ABSTRACT

A wire rack includes: a pair of opposite supporting arms, each of which has opposite first and second ends; a connecting member interconnecting the supporting arms; a pair of opposite first confining arms extending respectively from the first ends of the supporting arms in opposite directions; a pair of pivot joints; and a pair of opposite second confining arms pivoted to the second ends of the supporting arms through the pivot joints, respectively, and rotatable relative to the supporting arms between a first angular position, in which each adjacent pair of the first and second confining arms cooperate with the respective one of the supporting arms to form into a U-shaped structure, and a second angular position, in which each of the second confining arms and the respective one of the supporting arms extend from the respective one of the pivot joints in opposite directions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a wire rack, more particularly to a wire rack including a pair of adjustable supporting arms for winding an electric wire thereon.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional wire rack generally has two support arms, two first confining arms, and two second confining arms which cooperate with the first confining arms and the support arms to define two opposite U-shaped structures that open in opposite directions for winding and unwinding an electrical wire (not shown) stored thereon. The first and second confining arms are integrally formed with the support arms, and are not angularly adjustable relative to the support arms. Hence, unwinding of the electrical wire requires rotation of the wire rack, which can be relatively inconvenient and time-consuming when the length of the electrical wire is considerably long.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a wire rack that can overcome the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art.

According to the present invention, the wire rack comprises: a pair of opposite supporting arms, each of which has opposite first and second ends; a connecting member interconnecting the supporting arms; a pair of opposite first confining arms extending respectively from the first ends of the supporting arms in opposite directions; a pair of pivot joints; and a pair of opposite second confining arms pivoted to the second ends of the supporting arms through the pivot joints, respectively, and rotatable relative to the supporting arms between a first angular position, in which each adjacent pair of the first and second confining arms cooperate with the respective one of the supporting arms to form into a U-shaped structure, and a second angular position, in which each of the second confining arms and the respective one of the supporting arms extend from the respective one of the pivot joints in opposite directions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a wire rack according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled schematic view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating a state where a pair of confining arms are disposed at a first angular position and where a crossbar is disposed at a restraining position;

FIG. 3 is an assembled schematic view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating another state where the crossbar is disposed at a releasing position; and

FIG. 4 is an assembled schematic view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating yet another state where the confining arms are disposed at a second angular position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the preferred embodiment of a wire rack according to the present invention is shown to include: a pair of opposite supporting arms 23 for winding and unwinding of an electrical wire (not shown) stored thereon, each of the supporting arms 23 having opposite first and second ends 230, 231; a connecting member 21 interconnecting the supporting arms 23; a pair of opposite first confining arms 22 extending transversely and respectively from the first ends 230 of the supporting arms 23 in opposite directions; a pair of pivot joints 5; and a pair of opposite second confining arms 4 pivoted to the second ends 231 of the supporting arms 23 through the pivot joints 5, respectively, and rotatable relative to the supporting arms 23 between a first angular position (see FIG. 2), in which each adjacent pair of the first and second confining arms 22, 4 cooperate with the respective one of the supporting arms 23 to form into a U-shaped structure such that the electrical wire wound on the supporting arms 23 can be confined by the first and second confining arms 22, 4, and a second angular position (see FIG. 4), in which each of the second confining arms 4 and the respective one of the supporting arms 23 extend from the respective one of the pivot joints 5 in opposite directions, thereby permitting removal of the electrical wire from the wire rack by moving the wire along the lengths of the supporting arms 23 and the second confining arms 4 for passing through free ends of the second confining arms 4.

The wire rack further includes a stopping member 3 which is mounted slidably on the supporting arms 23, and which includes a crossbar 31 that extends between the supporting arms 23 and that has two opposite restraining ends 33. Each of the second confining arms 4 has a pivot end 41 pivoted to the second end 231 of the respective one of the supporting arms 23. The stopping member 3 is slidable relative to the supporting arms 23 between a restraining position (see FIG. 2), in which the crossbar 31 is aligned with the pivot ends 41 of the second confining arms 4 and in which the restraining ends 33 of the crossbar 31 respectively confront the pivot ends 41 of the second confining arms 4, thereby restraining the second confining arms 4 from rotating from the first angular position to the second angular position, and a releasing position (see FIG. 3), in which the crossbar 31 is offset from the pivot ends 41 of the second confining arms 4, thereby permitting rotation of the second confining arms 4 from the first angular position to the second angular position. Moreover, the pivot end 41 of each of the second confining arms 4 is formed with a retaining protrusion 44 protruding therefrom and engaging releasably an adjacent one of the restraining ends 33 of the crossbar 31 when the crossbar 31 is disposed at the restraining position.

In this embodiment, each of the supporting arms 23 is provided with a tubular part 24 that is formed with a slot 243 defined by a slot-defining wall 243′ that has opposite first and second ends 240, 244. The stopping member 3 further includes a pair of inserts 32, each of which extends from the crossbar 31 into the tubular part 24 of a respective one of the supporting arms 23 and each of which is formed with a resilient tongue 321 protruding therefrom, engaging the second end 244 of the slot-defining wall 243′ when the stopping member 3 is disposed at the restraining position, and disengaging and spaced apart from the second end 244 of the slot-defining wall 243′ when the stopping member 3 is disposed at the releasing position. Each of the inserts 32 is further formed with a pair of slits 322 so as to define the resilient tongue 321.

The second end 231 of each of the supporting arms 23 is formed with a first through-hole. The pivot end 41 of each of the second confining arms 4 is formed with a second through-hole 40 and a hollow post 43 that has one end extending into the second through-hole 40, and an opposite end extending into the first through-hole of the second end 231 of the respective one of the supporting arms 23. Each of the pivot joints 5 includes a head 52 and a pair of resilient shanks 51 spaced apart from each other by a gap 54 and extending from the head 52 through the hollow post 43 of the pivot end 41 of a respective one of the second confining arms 4. Each of the resilient shanks 51 of each of the pivot joints 5 has an enlarged tail 53. Each of the pivot joints 5 further includes a pair of expansion pins 6, each of which extends into the gap 54 so as to expand the resilient shanks 51 to an extent such that the enlarged tails 53 of the resilient shanks 51 are anchored at said one end of the hollow post 43 of the pivot end 41 of the respective second confining arm 4 and so as to prevent undesired removal of the second confining arms 4 from the supporting arms 23.

Preferably, the wire rack further includes a strength-enhancing bar 25 interconnecting bottom ends of the tubular parts 24 of the supporting arms 23.

By pivoting the second confining arms 4 to the supporting arms 23 of the wire rack of this invention, the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art can be eliminated.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A wire rack comprising: a pair of opposite supporting arms, each of which has opposite first and second ends; a connecting member interconnecting said supporting arms; a pair of opposite first confining arms extending respectively from said first ends of said supporting arms in opposite directions; a pair of pivot joints; and a pair of opposite second confining arms pivoted to said second ends of said supporting arms through said pivot joints, respectively, and rotatable relative to said supporting arms between a first angular position, in which each adjacent pair of said first and second confining arms cooperate with the respective one of said supporting arms to form into a U-shaped structure, and a second angular position, in which each of said second confining arms and the respective one of said supporting arms extend from the respective one of said pivot joints in opposite directions.
 2. The wire rack as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stopping member mounted slidably on said supporting arms and including a crossbar that extends between said supporting arms and that has two opposite restraining ends, each of said second confining arms having a pivot end pivoted to said second end of the respective one of said supporting arms, said stopping member being slidable relative to said supporting arms between a restraining position, in which said crossbar is aligned with said pivot ends of said second confining arms and in which said restraining ends of said crossbar respectively confront said pivot ends of said second confining arms, thereby restraining said second confining arms from rotating from the first angular position to the second angular position, and a releasing position, in which said crossbar is offset from said pivot ends of said second confining arms, thereby permitting rotation of said second confining arms from the first angular position to the second angular position.
 3. The wire rack as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said supporting arms is provided with a tubular part that is formed with a slot defined by a slot-defining wall, said slot-defining wall having opposite first and second ends, said stopping member further including a pair of inserts, each of which extends from said crossbar into said tubular part of a respective one of said supporting arms and each of which is formed with a resilient tongue protruding therefrom, engaging said second end of said slot-defining wall when said stopping member is disposed at the restraining position, and disengaging and spaced apart from said second end of said slot-defining wall when said stopping member is disposed at the releasing position.
 4. The wire rack as claimed in claim 3, wherein said pivot end of each of said second confining arms is formed with a retaining protrusion protruding therefrom and engaging an adjacent one of said restraining ends of said crossbar when said crossbar is disposed at the restraining position. 